Luggage articles and hardware therefor



Jan. 11, 1966 s. KOFFLER LUGGAGE ARTICLES AND HARDWARE THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1963 Jun! A INVENTOR; yuan-152%? SO L KOFFLER Ill 5752::Ili

FIG. 3

i i I i Jan. 11, 1966 Filed March 26,

s. KOFFLER 3,228,738

LUGGAGE ARTICLES AND HARDWARE THEREFOR 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR' SOL KOFFLER ATT'YS United States Patent 3,228,738 LUGGAGE ARTICLES AND HARDWARE THEREFOR Sol Kofller, 600 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI. Filed Mar. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 268,087 7 Claims. (Cl. 312293) This application is a continuation-in-part of my cop ending application Ser. No. 135,886, filed September 5, 1961, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

This invention, in general, relates to hardware for luggage or the like and, more particularly, relates to removable hanger supports for hangers in articles of luggage and to hooks mounted on said articles and on said hanger supports.

There are many types of luggage in which clothing is placed in the luggage on hangers, which, in turn, are hooked over or attached to a supporting member on one of the interior end walls of the luggage. In some cases, the hanger hook is placed over a bar in the usual manner. In other cases, the hanger hooks of the luggage hangers are especially designed with parts which interlock on the hanger support of the luggage. This invention pertains to improvements in removable hanger support bars for articles of luggage and improvements in the mounting of said hanger support bars in an end wall of the luggage. In one of its specific details, the invention relates to the mounting of a bracket on the wall of the luggage by hardware which also carries a pivotable supporting hook located on the outer wall of the luggage. This hook can be used to hang the luggage piece on a hook or rod and is especially adapted for luggage known in the trade as car cases.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide novel hanger support hardware for luggage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel hanger support bar removably locked in a luggage piece so that the articles of clothing on hangers on the hanger support bar can be placed in or removed from the luggage as a single unit.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hardware combination providing a removable hanger support bar and a hook on opposite sides of a luggage piece wall.

Still another object of the invention is toprovide a removable hanger support bar having a pivotable hook mounted thereon whereby the support bar and the articles of clothing hung thereon can be removed from the luggage and hung as a unit in a closet or inserted as a unit into the luggage.

These and other objects of the invention, which will be apparent to those familiar with the luggage art, are achieved by the application of the principles of operation and construction set forth hereafter in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of the hardware of the invention and a fragment of luggage article on which said hardware is mounted;

FIG. 2 is a plan view as viewed from plane 22 of FIG. 1 of the locking bracket in which the hanger support bar is releasably supported;

FIG. 3 is a section of the hardware assembly on the luggage article (shown in fragment), the section being taken on plane 33 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fragment of the hanger support bar;

FIG. 5 is a section of the swivel hook structure taken on plane 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a luggage shell fragment and another hardware embodiment of the invention;

Patented Jan. 11, 1966 FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sections taken on sections 7-7 and 8-8 of FIG. 2, respectively; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective, exploded view of the hardware pieces of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a fragment of the end wall 1 of the rigid shell of a piece of luggage. The inside of the end wall 1 is covered with a piece of decorative padding 2. The entire luggage piece has not been shown in detail inasmuch as the invention is applicable to any type of luggage for carrying articles of clothing on hangers.

A pair of screws 3 extend through the wall 1 of the luggage. The screws 3 and nuts 4 are used to mount on the inner side of wall 1 a hook mounting plate 5 and the bracket assembly 6 for releasably holding the hanger support member 9. The bracket assembly 6 includes a slide channel segment 7 and a locking plate 8 slidable in the channel.

The hanger support member 9 comprises a bar bent to provide a transversely arched, elongated, hanger supporting side 10, rounded ends 11 and 12, flat upper elongated sides 13 and 14, which are coplanar and which are bent at at the middle of the hanger supporting member 9 to provide downwardly depending, flat, parallel legs 15 and 16.

The upper sides 13, 14 have mounted thereon stems or shanks 28, 29 which extend outwardly from the sides 13, 14 and which have at their outer ends buttons or knobs 17, 18, respectively. These members are a part of the locking structure of the invention, later described, in which the slidable locking plate 8 constitutes a releasable catch for the latch elements 17, 28 and 18, 29 on the hanger support bar.

A rivet 19 extends across the space between the legs 15 and 16. The shank of the rivet 19 extends through and pivotally supports the legs 20 and 21 of a metal bar bent to form a rectangular, open frame 22. The side 23 of the open, rectagular frame 22, opposite the legs 21, has an opening therethrough, through which extends a shaft provided on the end of hanger 24. The end of the shaft on the hanger 24 is attached to a disc 25 to provide a pivotable support for the hanger 24 on the side 23 of the open frame 22. The hanger 24 is used when the hanger support device 9 is removed from the luggage piece with the articles of clothing thereon so that the entire unit can be hung on a hook or rod. This is a convenience provided for the traveller using luggage having the hardware of the invention. Also, all of the clothing on hangers to be put in the luggage can be hung on the hanger support device 9 so that all can be placed in the luggage together instead of piece-by-piece.

When the hanger support member 9 is inserted in the racket assembly 6, the hanger 24 is pivoted to one side or the other of the hanger support device 9 about the axis provided by the rivet 19. The latter position is shown in FIG. 1.

A hook 30 is mounted on the outer side of the wall 1 of the luggage piece. This hook may be used to hang the luggage piece in a closet or the like and is especially useful in luggage pieces known in the trade as car cases. The hook 30 has a shank 31 with opposite flat faces. The shank 31 extends into a groove 33 extending transversely through the swivel head 32. The shank 31 is pivotally journalled in said groove on a pin 34 extending into said groove from one side of the swivel head 32.

The hook 330 is thus pivotable through a angle so that it may lie flat when not in use against the outer side of the luggage wall, or it may be positioned at right angles to the luggage wall when the hook is to be used. The hook is held in the flat and upstanding positions by the parts shown in FIG. 5.

The bottom of the shank 31 and the four sides thereof are fiat sides, preferably with slight rounds at their corners. A coil spring 37 seated in the bottom of a cylindrical well 38 extending longitudinally into the swivel head from the outer end thereof presses a plate 36 against the bottom wall or one of the side walls of the shank 31 to hold the hook in either the flat position or the vertical position.

Swivel head 32 is rotatably journalled in a cylindrical eyelet 39 which has an outer rounded flange 40 pressed against the wall 1 about the hole in which the eyelet is mounted. The swivel 32 has a shoulder 41 which abuts against the flange 40. The cylindrical wall 42 of the swivel head 32 rotates in the eyelet 39. The bottom of the swivel 32 is a hollow rivet portion. The outer edges of the rivet portion are bent over the mounting plate 44 to hold the swivel head on the plate. There is sufficient clearance between the rivet portion 45 and hole 46 of plate 47 so that the swivel head 32 can rotate relative to plate 44. The holes 47 in plate 44 are holes for screws 3.

The locking assembly 6 has similar holes 48 in ear portions 49, which extend outwardly from the slide channel segment 7 formed integrally therewith by bottom wall 59 and side walls 52. The slide channel 7 holds a slidable, locking piece 8. The latter comprises a bottom wall 51 and upstanding side walls 53 fitted within slide channel 7. The locking piece 8 is held in channel 7 by rivets 54 and washers 55. The shanks of rivets 54 extend through an axial slot in wall 51 so that the locking piece 8 can slide in slide channel 7.

The wall of slide channel 7 has holes 56 large enough to allow buttons or knobs 17, 18 to pass therethrough. The wall 51 of locking piece 8 has similarly sized holes 57. The latter holes have tail slots 58 extending therefrom. The tail slots 58 have widths smaller than the diameters of buttons or knobs 17, 18 but larger than the diameters of stems or shanks 28, 29. When locking piece 8 is moved to bring holes 56 and 57 into alignment, the knobs or buttons 17, 18 may be inserted therethrough. Then the locking piece is slid to the position shown in FIG. 2, and the hanger support member 9 is locked in place on the bracket assembly 6. It is released by the reversed procedure.

The locking piece 8 may have a handle 60 formed as a tab or ear at one end thereof. A downwardly bent tab 61 at the same end of the slide channel 7 may be used as a stop for the end 11 of the hanger support to prevent accidental displacement of the locking piece from its locked position by vibration movements or by gravitational movement of hanger support member against the slidable locking piece.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6-9 is one in which the hanger support member 79 is very similar to hanger support member 9, and, where applicable, like members designate like parts. In this embodiment, the hanger support bar has bayonet-type slots 71, 72 in each side.

13, 14. The slots 71, 72 each comprise a slot disposed longitudinally in sides 13, 14 of the hanger support with an enlarged slot portion, e.g., the round holes 73, 74, at one end thereof, respectively. These slots, in turn, interlock with pins 75, 76, respectively, under knobs or enlarged heads 77, 78 of greater width (or diameter) than slots 71, 72 but smaller size (or diameter) than the holes 73', '74. The diameter of the shanks of pins 75, 76 are slightly less than the widths of slots 71, 72.

The pins 75, 76 are mounted by rivet portions 79 on a plate 80, which may be a flat plate or a plate having upwardly turned side edges 81, 82 to give the plate 89 more rigidity. The plate is attached to the end wall 83 of luggage shell 34 by rivets 85, one end of which is seated in the recesses 86 with holes 37 in plate 80. The swivel head 32 and its associated hook and eyelet structure (FIG. 5) may be mounted on plate 80 and in wall 83 in the same manner as they are mounted on the plate 44 and wall 1, if desired.

Between the plate 80 and the end wall 83 there may be provided a keeper plate 87 having recesses 88 with holes 89 like recesses and holes 86, 87. The rivets extend also through holes 89 of plate 87. The keeper plate has at one end a shoulder or lip 90 at the end of plate 80, which shoulder or lip extends somewhat above the surface of plate 80. The shoulder or lip 90 is a keeper element against which the junction of bar segment 11 and bar segment 13 strikes if the hanger support bar 70 is moved from lock position on plate 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7) to unlock position (knobs 77, 78 aligned with holes 73, 74). The shoulder or lip 90 prevents accidental displacement of the hanger support bar 70 from lock position. However, when the bar 70 is pushed manually toward unlock position, the end of keeper plate 80 bends enough to allow wall 13 to pass over lip or shoulder 90, or the shoulder or lip may have a similar resiliency or. flexibility.

It will be seen from the foregoing description of the invention and the specific illustrative embodiments thereof that there is provided a novel combination of hardware pieces for articles of luggage and the like, which hardware has novel features, advantages and characteristics for accomplishing the intended objectives of the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. An article of luggage comprising aluggage shell, a plate mounted on a wall of said shell in substantially parallel relationship with said wall, a hanger support member including means for supporting clothing hangers thereon and also including a bar lying contiguous to and substantially parallel with said plate, shanks with enlarged heads on one of said plate and said bar, the other of said plate and said bar having slots, each-slot having a first portion wider than said shanks but narrower than said heads and also having another portion of large enough dimension to allow passage of a respective one of said heads therethrough, and means keeping said shanks in said first portions of said slots to hold said hanger support bar in said luggage shell.

2. An article of luggage as claimed in claim 1, said last-mentioned means comprising a member mounted. on said wall, said member having holes therein of dimensions large enough to allow said heads to pass therethrough, and said plate being mounted on and slidable relative to said member with portions of said slots therein severally aligned with said holes as said plate slides relative to said member.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said hanger support comprises alower hanger supporting bar and a parallel upper bar on which said shanks are mounted.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said upper bar comprises two aligned bars bent into two parallel, closely juxtapositioned, downwardly depending legs, and a hook pivotally mounted between said legs.

5. An article of luggagecomprising a luggage shell, a plate on a wall of said shell, shanks on said plate extending substantially at right angles to said wall, enlarged heads on said shanks, a hanger support member with a bar having longitudinal. slots, each having an enlarged end, said heads being insertable into and removable from said slots through said enlarged ends, saidvshanks in lock position of said hanger support member on said plate being slidably received in said slots with the edges of said slot beneath said enlarged heads, and. means forming a shoulder blocking accidental sliding of said bar to a position in which said heads-are. aligned with said enlarged ends.

6. An article of luggage as claimed-in claim5 wherein said hanger support member includes a second bar parallel with and spaced from said first bar, said second.

bar being adapted to support a plurality of clothing hangers thereon.

7. An article of luggage comprising a luggage shell, a plate mounted on a wall of said shell, shanks with enlarged heads mounted on said plate, a hanger support having an upper bar with longitudinal slots each having References Cited by the Examiner an enlarged end, said shanks being slidably positioned UNITED STATES PATENTS in said slots with the edges of said slot beneath said enlarged heads, said hanger support further having a lower 1,617,365 2/1927 Batts 19041 hanger supporting bar and said upper bar being two 5 1742656 1/1930 Laprade 190-41 li ned bar bent into two arallel clos l 'uxta i- 2214118 9/1940 Br-aclien 21194 a g s P W 1 P08 2,277,738 3/1942 W1lk1ns0n 24s 224 X tioned, downwardly depending legs, and a hook pivotally mounted between said legs. FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ARTICLE OF LUGGAGE COMPRISING A LUGGAGE SHELL, A PLATE MOUNTED ON A WALL OF SAID SHELL IN SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID WALL, A HANGER SUPPORT MEMBER INCLUDING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING CLOTHING HANGERS THEREON AND ALSO INCLUDING A BAR LYING CONTIGUOUS TO AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID PLATE, SHANKS WITH ENLARGED HEADS ON ONE OF SAID PLATE AND SAID BAR, THE OTHER OF SAID PLATE AND SAID BAR HAVING SLOTS, EACH SLOT HAVING A FIRST PORTION WIDER THAN SAID SHANKS BUT NARROWER THAN SAID HEADS AND ALSO HAVING ANOTHER PORTION OF LARGE ENOUGH DIMENSION TO ALLOW PASSAGE OF A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID HEADS THERETHROUGH, AND MEANS KEEPING SAID SHANKS IN SAID FIRST PORTIONS OF SAID SLOTS TO HOLD SAID HANGER SUPPORT BAR IN SAID LUGGAGE SHELL. 